Mike Levy travelled to the other side of the world to be surprised by God. Mike hadn’t been searching for faith but was presented with a choice. He chose to follow Jesus Christ. Here is his story.

‘I was brought up Church of England. I went to Sunday school as a kid though not very often. I didn’t have very much to do with church apart from the usual weddings, funerals etc. ‘When I left school I went into finance with a bank and then an insurance company as an agent.’

At 24 Mike was doing well materially speaking but he felt there had to be more to life. ‘I felt I needed to do something different. So I sold up everything I had – a house, a car and speedboat! – and decided to go travelling. I bought a ticket for a year, one of those round the world tickets. I went with a friend’s sister who wanted to go travelling as well. She was also my friend and we got on really well most of the way round. We headed for the Far East and then Australia where we found work.’

You’d think Mike had everything he wanted – a party lifestyle, few responsibilities, and freedom to do what he wanted. But there was still something missing. ‘I became a Christian on the south coast near Melbourne. But I wasn’t looking for it at all. It was basically a party lifestyle. It was what I thought was a coincidence but the people we were meant to be staying with couldn’t have us, so they arranged for us to stay with friends for a few nights. That person happened to be a Christian. There was something about her that was different when I first met her. She explained to me about her love of Jesus Christ and asked me if I wanted to go to church with her at some stage.’ Mike did attend a service and his life has not been the same since.

‘I found myself with my hand in the air, going to the front.’ He made a commitment that night to put Jesus Christ first in his life, he was baptised and experienced God’s Holy Spirit. ‘Apparently for three days after I was “glowing” – people would look at me and say “there’s something about him. He’s got this aura about him!” I suppose from that night onward I became a different person, though I didn’t appreciate what I’d done. It was like I’d become a Christian and now I had to find out who Jesus was.

‘So I’d done it the other way around. There was no exploration, no looking, no searching, God met me where I was. It was like “BANG” thank you very much!’ Mike continued his travels taking in NZ, Hawaii and the States before returning to the UK. ‘When I got home my uncle, who was a pastor for BMS (a Christian mission organisation) came to see me at my mum’s request. I was very confused and he talked and prayed with me. To be honest I gave my life to the Lord again, like a recommitment.’ ‘Then I started going to a local church, the Worthing Tabernacle. It was in the early 90s, just after the overthrow of Ceausescu. I drove lorries of aid for the Tabernacle every two months into Romania for two years.’

This was the start of Mike’s ongoing concern for a country that has suffered under such repression. But he had to get himself back into the job market. ‘I applied for all sorts of jobs and one of them was with an airline. That’s where I met my wife, Julia. Initially we were friends. She came to church with me a few times. And then whilst I was away on holiday, she made a commitment to the Lord. I got back and found out. We started going out and were married a year later.’

Mike and Julia have been active members of Horley Baptist Church, Surrey ever since. They have two sons, Thomas and Jack. Mike was able to return to Dorohoi, Romania this summer for the first time since 1992. Together with 49 other volunteers from their church, he spent a week helping to run a kids club for up to a thousand children in a deprived part of the country.

‘We had a fantastic time although it was humbling. Together with GLIA (God’s Love in Action @ ‘The centre of hope’) and ROAF () we put on 4 days of activities in the Local School. We averaged 200 kids a day and had evening reach out as well. Romania has changed dramatically since my last visit and the extreme wealth and poverty divide is more noticeable’.

Mike’s job now involves lots of travel – all in the course of work. For the last seven years Mike has been a sales representative selling Christian books, Bibles and gifts into Christian bookshops across the south of England.

‘I love it; I really enjoy it and God provides,’ says Mike. ‘My life has been transformed since Jesus saved me. I have learnt a great deal and continue to discover how faithful God is. God’s timing is perfect and I am thankful that he never lets me down even when I stumble. There is no greater thing in this life than to know the “Love of God” and to put your trust in Jesus.’